BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

CAPITOL HILL, MONROVIA

NEWS SUMMARY WEDNESAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

The sole dominate story in today’s summary is the launch of ACTIVA Insurance Liberia’s Med-Evac Service – scheme.

NEC’s announcement on the opening of campaign activities, the list of 118 senatorial candidates for the December 8 Special Senatorial election, President Weah street lights project,  signing of MOU for electronic fiscal device between LRA and TRACOM and the visit of USA Chargé d’affaires at MICAT are some of the stories selected for today’s media summary.

DOMINANT STORY  

Activa Insurance Liberia Launches Med-Evac Service- scheme covers up to US$350k per event 

To help cater to life threatening situations resulting either from accident or other health emergencies, ACTIVA International Insurance Company (Liberia) Ltd, has launched an Emergency Medical Evacuation and Repatriation product scheme covering up to US$350,000 per event and not an annual limit. Emergency medical evacuation transports patients to the nearest facility equipped to handle treatment. This could mean another city, country, or even one’s home country. The facility where a patient would be transported is generally based on the patient’s overseeing doctor, who would work in collaboration with the insurance company (Activa) to make sure that the patient receives the care needed. The scheme, which is the brainchild of the Managing Director and Chief Executive of Activa International Insurance Company Liberia, Cllr. Saye D. Gbalazeh, seeks to provide solution to the strains and stress people endure in raising money in a timely manner to evacuate relatives and other critically ill person to a second country for medical attention, the Daily Observer newspaper discloses.

Relation Captions: Activa Insurance launches Medical Emergency Evacuation program (The New Dawn) and Activa Launches Medical Evacuation Policy (The Inquirer)

OTHER STORIES

U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Visits MICAT Boss

The Chargé d’Affaires of United States Embassy to Liberia is said to have paid Information Minister Ledgerhood J. Rennie a working visit. According to a statement posted on the Ministry of Information Facebook page, Madam Alyson Grunder visited the new Information Ministry’s boss on Tuesday, November 17, 2020. The statement said, the visit was intended to update the new MICAT boss about plans by the U.S. Government to work with their Liberian counterparts in order to revive, preserve and make the Providence Island a site for cultural and tourist attraction. The American Diplomat was accompanied by Professor Allison James from the University of Virginia   who was hired by the U.S. Government to carry out a comprehensive feasibility study of the historic Island. Mr. Michael P. Ardaiolo, Public Affairs Officer at the American Embassy near Monrovia, was part of the team visiting the Ministry. Tuesday’s meeting was also attended by MICAT’s Deputy Minister for Culture and Tourism Lance Gba-Gonyon and the Assistance Minster for Tourism Madam Princess Turkolon, The News newspaper writes.

NEC Announces Opening Of Campaign Activities Warn Candidates, Supporters Against Violence

The National Elections Commission (NEC), through its Chairperson, Madam Davidetta Brown Lassanah, has officially announced the opening of the 2020 Political Campaign Activities for the Special Senatorial Election and the two bi-elections in Montserrado County Electoral District #9 and Sinoe County Electoral district #2 respectively. According to the Heritage newspaper, the Special Senatorial Elections and the two by-elections are scheduled for December 8, 2020. Madam Brown-Lassanah told journalists Wednesday, November 18, 2020, at a news conference the campaign requirements issued to all aspirants during the nomination period. She mentioned that the commission will give full priority on first come first serve basis, based on all political parties and independent candidates who have already submitted their schedules. “No two political parties or candidates will be allowed to campaign on the same day,” she said.

Relation Caption: NEC Declares Campaign Open (The Inquirer)

For 2020 Special Senatorial Election NEC Qualifies 118 Candidates For 15 Seats

The National Elections Commission (NEC) has release the final list of candidates for the much publicized 2020 Special Senatorial Election. According to the NEC, a total of 118 candidates have been qualified to contest the special Senatorial Election which is slated for December 8, 2020. Out of the 118 qualified candidates, there are 20 Female Candidates 98 Male candidates, 44 Independent Candidates and 74 Political Parties/coalition/ Alliance Candidates. Interestingly, only 15 senatorial seats are up for grasp because the Special Senatorial Elections is meant for the election or reelection of a senator per county. With this, 103 candidates are considered as potential losers, the Heritage newspaper writes.

Relation Caption: 118 Candidates Eye 15 Seats As NEC Opens Campaign Activities (The News)

‘I Am Here to Roll My Sleeves & Work and Not to Wear Suits’ Says Isaac Redd As He Takes Over At LBS

 “I am here to roll my sleeves work and not to wear suits and dig holes”, the new Deputy Director General for Rural Broadcasting at the Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS) assured his new family. Delivering his Special statement on Wednesday, November 18, 2020 when he took over as the new Director General for Rural Broadcasting at the LBS, Mr. Isaac Redd, promised to work for the expansion of the department as well as special programs for women and agriculture, among others.  “Collectively, rural broadcasting is essential to the Pro Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PADP),” he added as he pledged to work with employee at the rural broadcasting department, share ideas and learn from them as well all in a move to improve the system. “ Improved Mobilization in order to sensitized the rural population is one of our aims,’ Redd pointed out, while stressing that it is time to talk rural issues on the radio about key sector, including agriculture and not about demonstration in Monrovia among others, Heritage newspaper asserts.

President Weah’s Street Lights Project Hits Monrovia Next Week

The Office of President George M. Weah said on Tuesday that the streets light project from ELWA Junction to the ravaged Ducor Intercontinental Hotel up Broad Street in Monrovia will be accomplished by 29 November. November 29, the posthumous birthday of Liberia’s 19^th President Williams V.S. Tubman is popularly celebrated as a national holiday. According to The News newspaper, President Weah surprised residents of Monrovia with the news of providing street lights from Paynesville to central Monrovia, and onward to the St. Paul Bridge on his birthday, on October 1 of this year. He announced the communal power expansion when he inaugurated the Special Presidential Street Light Project at ELWA Junction where he turned on the initial street lights representative of the three phased electricity program. The implementation of the project is phased into three lots: the first ELWA junction to Vamoma House in Sinkor (which has just begun); the second, from Vamoma House to Broad Street-Ducor Hotel; and, then, the third, from Johnson Street to St. Paul Bridge, the Ministry of Public Works had said. Speaking to Executive Mansion reporters Tuesday, Deputy Presidential Press Secretary Smith Toby said that while the concrete pedestals are being installed along Tubman Boulevard, the light poles to be installed onto them are on their way from Morocco.

LRA, TRACOM Sign MOU For Electronic Fiscal Device

The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) has signed a memorandum of understanding with TRACOM Services Limited to operate an electronic fiscal device system in order to mobilize and protect national revenues. The electronic fiscal device is a system that will be used to help with the mobilization of domestic revenues of the country and also help to protect two streams of revenue including goods and services, taxes and corporate income taxes. The agreement which is under the name “Electronic Fiscal Device Agreement” was signed on Wednesday, November18, 2020, at the Headquarters of the LRA in Paynesville, near Monrovia. The Deputy Commissioner General for Technical Services at the RIA, Madam Decontee King-Sackie said, there was a very long process leading to the signing of the MOU, but it has finally taken effect. On behalf of the LRA, Madam King-Sackie noted that they are hopeful that the intended objectives of the MOU will be achieved. She furthered that the system is intended to help protect goods and services, taxes and the corporate income taxes, while believing that the implementation of said project will not only achieve potential revenue growth but will also facilitate the receipt of data that will enable the LRA understands the already challenged economic, reports The News newspaper.

New Commerce Minister Inspect Warehouse of Major Importers at NPA

Minister of Commerce, Mawine Diggs has begun touring warehouse of major importers of commodities in Liberia to see first the number of goods including Liberia’s stable food (rice) and other’s goods imported into the country. Speaking to reporters at the climax of her first tour, Minister Diggs said, she was able to ascertain that there are more commodities on the ground for consumption and importers have assured that additional commodities were expected in the country. Minister Diggs who recently took office told a team of reporters that the tour was in continuation of where her predecessors stopped. According to the Daily Observer newspaper, the Minister and her team visited the Fouani Brothers Corporation, United Commodities Incorporated (UCI) and the Supplying West Africa Traders (SWAT).